1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to encoding and decoding an image, and more particularly, to encoding and decoding an image based on inter prediction.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to video compression standards, such as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 H.264/MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video coding), an image is encoded by dividing the image into predetermined sized blocks. Next, each of the predetermined sized blocks is prediction-encoded by using inter prediction or intra prediction.
For inter prediction, motion estimation is performed by searching at least one reference frame for a block that is the same as or similar to a current block, a motion vector produced by performing the motion estimation is encoded together with pixel values, and a result of encoding is then inserted into a bitstream.